Judge dismisses order of protection request against DeKalb Alderman Scott McAdams

DeKALB – A DeKalb woman who last month requested an order of protection against 5th Ward Alderman Scott McAdams, alleging verbal and emotional abuse, told a DeKalb County judge Friday that she no longer wishes to pursue the order, and the case was dismissed.

McAdams’ political opponents called for his resignation and for him to drop his reelection bid after court records surfaced last week of the allegations. McAdams previously said he would not resign.

“I’m relieved it’s over, and I’m glad that we’re able to come to terms that were agreeable to both sides,” McAdams said Friday. “I’m sorry that she got dragged into it. But it is an election season, and my opponent is looking for something to run on.”

The woman who filed the order appeared in person with McAdams for Friday’s hearing. Both told the judge that they declined to hire an attorney for the proceedings.

McAdams has not been charged with criminal wrongdoing. DeKalb County Circuit Court Judge Marcy Buick denied an emergency request Jan. 9 and asked the woman Friday whether she wished to pursue the regular order of protection.

“I’m sorry that she got dragged into it. But it is an election season, and my opponent is looking for something to run on.”

—  DeKalb 5th Ward Alderman Scott McAdams

When the woman said no, Buick dismissed the case.

“Everything is separated, and we’re moving on,” the woman told Buick.

McAdams faces opposition on the DeKalb City Council April 4 ballot from two 5th Ward residents, Derek Van Buer and Tom Riley, who are waging write-in candidacies. Van Buer issued a statement last week urging McAdams to resign.

McAdams said he looks forward to debating the pair on what he called “real issues,” such as taxes and crime, ahead of the election.

After the hearing, the woman said she was upset at the way her case had been used in public.

“I’m extremely upset about that,” she said after Friday’s hearing. “I think it was extremely unacceptable, and I don’t want to be used to destroy somebody’s life. I wanted my personal business to be my personal business, and I do not like how it was put as, ‘Oh, that poor woman and her children,’ when this has nothing to do with my kids.”

In her Jan. 9 request for an order of protection, the woman alleged that McAdams verbally, mentally and emotionally abused her.

McAdams declined to address the allegations further Friday.

“It’s water under the bridge, and I’m not interested in causing her any harm,” he said.

The woman said she doesn’t agree with calls for McAdams’ resignation from the DeKalb City Council.

“I’ve been a 5th Ward resident for several years. I think Scott does well at his job, and I don’t want to take that away from him. If we’re being bluntly honest, I plan to support him in his election,” she said. “I’m just very upset that people felt the need to take it to a public forum and cause me to go back through everything and get unnecessary messages and phone calls from people that I don’t know.”